title: Chronic hepatitis C infection is associated with insulin resistance and lipid profiles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been suggested to be associated with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and lipid profiles. This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships of insulin resistance (IR) and lipid profiles with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 160 hospital-based CHC patients with liver biopsy and the 480 controlled individuals without CHC and chronic hepatitis B from communities without known history of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), alanine aminotransferase, and serum insulin levels, and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When comparing factors between CHC patients, and sex- and age-matched controls who had no HCV infection, patients with HCV infection had a significantly higher alanine aminotransferase level, fasting plasma glucose level, insulin level, and HOMA-IR (P < 0.001, P = 0.023, P = 0.017, and P = 0.011, respectively), and significantly lower TG level (P = 0.023), total cholesterol, and HDL-C and LDL-C levels (all P < 0.001) than 480 controls. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, a low total cholesterol, a low TGs, and a high HOMA-IR are independent factors significantly associated with chronic HCV infection. In the 160 CHC patients (41 patients with high HOMA-IR [> 2.5]), a high body mass index, TGs, and HCV RNA level are independent factors significantly associated with high HOMA-IR in multivariate logistic analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic HCV infection was associated with metabolic characteristics including IR and lipid profile. IR was also associated with virological characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hepatitis Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Chung-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chen-Hsiu
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Ming-Yen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Jee-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: I-Ling
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zu-Yau
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shinn-Chern
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Liang-Yen
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wan-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Ming-Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hung-Da
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Tung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: chronic hepatitis C; genotype; insulin resistance; lipid; viral load